Hello again, everyone! We are roughly a month into a world without live sporting events. Being an athlete for 18 years, I have some great, good, bad, and down right ugly memories to share. Today’s post will do a shallow dive into the darker side of my time as an athlete. Here are the three most heartbreaking moments I’ve had as a student athlete:
3. March 2019- I Thought I Had a Season Ending Injury.
The last preseason tournament of my junior season I had tweaked my knee to a point where I could not walk without a severe limp. I was sent to get an MRI and once I got back my trainer took me into her office and shut the door. She had a talk with me that I would probably need surgery because she was 98% sure that I had completely torn my meniscus. She told me to prepare myself for the worst news possible and get my emotions in check at the possibility my season was over. Luckily, she was wrong and I did not need surgery right away and that pain and heartbreak only lasted for an hour or so. But, when I tell you I went to my locker room and cried like my family member had just died I am not exaggerating. If one of my compliance supervisors had not heard me and comforted me I would have probably had an anxiety attack and who knows what could’ve happened.
2. 2020 Spring Season Cancelled Due to COVID-19.
Preparing to end an accomplished and successful athletic career on top is something that took endless hours of blood, sweat, and tears. Not being able to leave the game on my terms was devastating. If we were not granted the year back I truly believe I would be in deep depression right now. For many athletes, our sport is our safe space. Softball was my first love and has taught me more than any other thing that has been a part of my life. It was like losing a loved one when the news first broke. Never knowing what the 2019-2020 Fordham Softball Team could have accomplished makes me lose sleep at night.
- 2019 Atlantic 10 Softball Championship Game being CANCELLED.
We were the number one seed going into the tournament and had the “easiest” route to go 3-0. We ended up losing the first game of the tournament which sent us to the elimination bracket where we would have to fight and grind our way back to the championship game. The true teamwork and buy-in to the journey that I felt from every single one of my teammates is something that gives me goosebumps every time I think about it. We beat UMASS in order to face off against SJU, who we run-ruled, and then went on to face off against GW, who we would have to beat them twice in order to take home the hardware. They took an early 2-0 lead but we were able to come back and end up on top with a 5-2 victory that forced a rubber match. There was a forecast for torrential down pour the entire day so the Atlantic 10 decided to cancel the game and name us “CO-Champions”. We were the number one seed so we still went on to the NCAA tournament but there was not a dry eye on the bus ride home. The fact we had to share the title with a team who had not beaten us at our best all season left a bitter taste in every single person’s mouth on that bus. Not being able to play that last championship game with the senior class who had been my rock since I came to Fordham left a pit in my stomach I cannot begin to explain. Here is something to put it into perspective; my senior season was cancelled and this moment is still what hurts the most when I think about it.
The Green Tea Chronicles 